Angel
by Redd
Summary: When your life is shattered, the one person you always counted on gone, who picks you back up? Your friends.


A/n: I on;y own Caitlyn, not any f the others you're familiar with, so please don't sue.  
  
The song is called Angel, and it's by the Corrs.  
  
....  
  
She lived like she knew nothing lasts   
Didn't care to look like anyone else   
And she was beautiful, so beautiful   
I still hear her laugh like she's here   
Shower it down on all the young   
It isn't so wrong to have such fun

Nineteen-year old Catty Turner stared at the tombstone in front of her. It has been one month since her adopted mother, Kendra, had been killed in a traffic accident. Catty had taken over the book store with the help of her friends.  
  
If she listened hard enough, she could almost hear Kendra laugh when Vanessa spilled half-melted ice cream on Serena last week. Catty smiled. It was nice to smile again. She had stayed with Jimena for a few days after it happened. She'd been there when it happened, got the call on her cell, and just didn't leave. She should have gone to see Vanessa, but she couldn't stand to drive by the scene, and she knew it would have happened, it was on their street corner.Forever angel   
I hope they love you like we do   
Forever angel   
I'll be proud to be like you   
Be like you   
(I'll be proud to be like you)"Come one Catty," Serena coaxed softly. They'd gotten an apartment together nearly five months ago, Vanessa too. Tianna was living with Derek not far from them, and Jimena was still living with her grandmother. "We need to get home. We're opening the shop early tomorrow, remember?"  
  
"Yeah." She sighed, turning and heading for the sidewalk with her friend. "I just..I don't know, I miss her so much."  
  
"I know Cat, we all do. I know it's not the same, but it's the truth. We all loved her even if she was a little...spacy...sometimes." Catty laughed. Serena always knew how to make her laugh, but she didn't know why. She and Jimena had been there, not that her other friends hadn't but well, Vanessa was busy with the band and Tianna was busy with wedding plans. "There's the Catty I was looking for. We were starting to think she'd bailed on us."  
  
"Yeah, I'm here."Does the sun shine up at you when you are looking down?   
Do you get along with the others around?   
It's got to be better than before   
You don't need to worry now you're gone"Come on Catty, wake up!" Vanessa growled, attempting, and failing, to roll her friend off the couch. Catty smiled. She wasn't asleep, but she liked playing this little game on Vanessa every so often. "You're going to fail school. I hope you know that."  
  
"I can only hope so." Catty smiled teasingly as a gust of air blew their curtains, allowing a stream of sunlight to splash over her face. She winced against it, it was awfully bright.  
  
"Catty....." Vanessa whined. Catty laughed again, trudging to get dressed. In the hall she passed a picture of Kendra and the girls that they had put on their wall.   
  
See Mom, Catty thought gazing longingly at it, 'Nessa won't let me fail. I'll be ok.Forever angel   
I hope they love you like we do   
Forever angel   
I'll be proud to be like you   
Be like you   
Just like you"Come on Catty!" Jimena laughed. It was their weekly soccer game. A bonding thing the two of them had started after the accident. Every Saturday she and one of the girls went out and did something; a movie, shopping, to the mall, things of that nature. But every Sunday, she and Jimena played soccer. Or rather Catty kicked a ball around and tried to get them past Jimena, and then she in turn kicked them back trying to get them past Catty. Not the most effective thing in the world, but it nice having some sort of regularity.  
  
"Can't you just let me win?" Catty asked as Jimena kicked the ball back, which she blocked easily.  
  
"Why should I? You used to be able to beat me on you own." Catty knew she was just trying to rile her up so she'd play better. It was working.   
  
And when I go to sleep at night   
I'll thank you for each blessed thing surrounding me   
  
For every fall I'll ever break   
Each moment's breath I wanna taste   
Confidence and conscience   
Decadent extravagance   
Never ending providence   
For loving when I had the chance"I was looking all over for you." Tianna sat down next to her. It had been one year. On agonizingly long year. Catty shrugged, starting at the grave. "Why do you still do this to yourself?"  
  
"Do what?"  
  
"This whole sitting here and moping about how you should have been with her, gone to that stupid convention or gone for her." Tianna shrugged at Catty's glare. "If you had gone Cat, we would have lost you too. We all loved her ok? But...She wouldn't have wanted you to be like this, sitting around, moping...being well, not you."  
  
"And what I supposed to do, all knowing one." Tianna ignored the thick layer of sarcasm.  
  
"Remember. I mean, at least you can, right? I can't remember anything about my mom. Neither can Serena or Jimena, and Vanessa can't remember her dad. The point is, we've all lost someone, and I know you're still hurting, but that doesn't mean you have to stop living."  
  
Catty didn't want to admit that Tianna had a point.Forever angel   
I hope they love you like we do   
Forever angel   
I'll be proud to be like you   
Forever angel   
I'll be proud to be like you   
Forever angel   
I'll be proud to be like you"But Mommy, I don't wanna go back..." Caitlyn wined. Catty smiled down at her daughter. She was five, and it was the second day of school. "Those other kids think I'm weird..."  
  
"Honey, you're not weird." Catty smoothed down her hair and straightened the little girl's dress.  
  
"But they said I was..."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because...you act so weird all the time, and 'cause it just the two of us and the...vintage...stuff we're always wearing, and the candles, and the books and-"  
  
"Caitie." Catty kneeled down, touching Caitlyn's shoulders softly. She remembered having the same discussion with Kendra. "It doesn't matter what the other kids think. It only matters what you think. You don't think it's weird do you?"  
  
"No..."  
  
"Then ignore them. Just have a good time with Michelle, Sabrina and Diana, ok?"  
  
"Ok Mommy." Caitlyn smiled happily. When they were in the car she asked, "Mommy? Where did you learn to be so smart?"  
  
"I learned from my mom." Nothing she had ever said could have been more true.  
  
.......  
  
And it over folks. Tell me what ya think! 


End file.
